Category: motivation

Before you start a business, you are urged to do “market research” for lengthy periods of time before you start, but the truth is that most of the biggest game changers in history inventing new products NEVER did this.The iPhone was dismissed as a pointless exercise and not needed by the very companies who had a chance to do it but thought it a pointless exercise.These were the Blackberry (who remembers that), Nokia phones (I had a few of these) were essentially wiped out as well as Motorola, huge market shares were gone quickly by people suddenly craving something they didn’t even know they would want.The fax machine was never produced by an American company despite having numerous chances to do so, because they thought it would never be needed, and was only made abroad after other companies seized the opportunities despite “sensible” advice to do otherwise, and all the money went abroad too.The point here is if you ask too many people’s opinion, you probably would end up doing NOTHING, until someone else has a go at makes a success of it.We had PLENTY of opinions when doing/designing our outside sports facility, and to me many of them I respected as people, but their ideas I know wouldn’t work for us. I was told to get those MUGA lines for our sports court for example, to me they make me PUKE!!! Too many lines in a sickening multi coloured way that hardly anyone understands if they are honest, let’s keep it simple and it works for that exact reason, “market research” wasn’t going to persuade me of that, let’s get what we need to make it happen by relentless hard work and teaching great classes on it with endless options and opportunities-THAT beats market research every time and if you have the same mindset to DISRUPT the status quo and the way “things have always been done”, I STRONGLY STAND UP AND APPLAUD YOU LOUDLY!Never let anyone else talk you into something that SUITS THEM instead of what you know in your heart will work. Your passion, hard work and your never ending ability to FIND A WAY will MAKE IT WORK.I have many messages off you doing college courses, wondering whether it is worth keeping at it. I always advise STAY the course as long as you want to be in that line of work, no course is easy, the best ones are killers at times, BUT you will be benefitting IMMENSELY if you stick with it and can make a big impact in the community and society with it.I love so many of you have become nurses, carers, teachers, launched your own business, find NEW careers after covid took it away, I am genuinely THRILLED for you and you do tremendous jobs.There will have been times when so many people advised you to quit, and often because those people who didn’t support you are the ones who didn’t have your grit, determination, and energy to get through all the bad times too.Your workouts in between will be your energy source, your stress busters, your clear your head moments, your source of inspiration, your motivation to eat well to fuel great thinking, and hanging out with like minded people with all sorts of different ambitions and positivity will have been a massive help along the away, as well as developing the cast iron discipline you needed to get stuff DONE full stop.To ALL of you who continue to GO AGAINST THE GRAIN, and upset the applecart, prove everyone wrong, and do the things some people say you cannot do, WE FIRE YOU A 21 GUN SALUTE with massive cannons!!!! TAKE A BOW!!

Thanks for sticking with the online live workouts, as many of you know we do TEN new ones a week for ALL levels.

I am now noticing myself that I am fitter than ever, and developing quickly still as a coach too, as we research and put more into our workouts than ever.If you are sticking with them, then everything in life should be much easier for you now, and improve on a weekly basis.

Your mobility should be a lot better, large amounts of stiffness and pain will have left your body, knowing it’s the movements that make the difference, and the regular practice of them is everything.

You notice your mind is in a better place too, there is a direct and scientifically PROVEN connection between your exercise and your brain, the spark it creates is electric and will make the difference between you living with a pessimistic attitude in lockdown, rather than one of optimism and hope to come.

It will make the difference between you being STRONG and standing up for what you believe in, or slowly getting weaker and accepting mediocrity in life as a certainty, and you will roll over for anyone.

Staying in the game means looking forward and getting through all we can throw at you, all AT YOUR OWN PACE. Today’s personal best for you will be in the rear view mirror in a couple of weeks, this is what you are truly CAPABLE of.Stay strong, be yourself, stay courageous and ALWAYS have a go!!!

Whatever you think of the Meghan Harry thing (it doesn’t interest me by the way), I believe there was a 2 hour interview on last night, Did you exercise yesterday for half hour at least? or was the interview more important to you?

There’s a storm brewing tonight, wild winds and rain, and damp until Saturday, does the rain stop you exercising until the sun comes out Saturday?

There’s constant government updates with ministers of varying competency, do you let them suck the life out of you every day? And do you write OFF that day for exercise, getting a takeaway and bottle of wine instead, because you just felt sorry for yourself and your situation as you see no way out soon to this?

These are all examples of things you cannot control, they are out of our hands, and the more we let these situations control us, the more we lose the grip on our health, and our daily purpose to improve and do meaningful things that will actually help us.Your daily routine has never been so vital to your health and your wellbeing.

After my morning sessions live, my late afternoons doing my own training, having a game of football with the kids then heading over the park for a game of baseball or cricket.

Very important times for me and the kids.These are things I CAN control and make me happy, plus it does wonders for my wellbeing.The great things about all those channels on TV is that we CAN choose uplifting TV, thats what we do every night, my lockdown policy of seeing the headlines once a day has worked well, not getting worked up about the often incompetence of those in charge only adds to my belief that we all NEED to take charge of our own health, the noisy environment around us of tittle tattle, and negativity WILL bring us down if we leave it.

I’m not telling you how to live your life, I firmly believe in democracy and we make our own choices, but right now, exercise, fresh air, good food and positive influences are the differences between us making the most of our lives or struggling with anxiety, worry and living in a world of fear every single day that sounds like a living hell.

Let’s keep raise ourselves up daily, we are throwing absolutely EVERYTHING into our live workouts and doing amazing TOGETHER, let’s stick with it and only keep getting better, and happier.

There will be times when people will sing your praises, or kick you in the teeth.

Ultimately, it doesn’t matter one bit because life will be up and down and most people’s opinions don’t matter, but the grit you manage to show throughout, the combination of perseverance and passion for what you do, will always be enough to see you through.

At some stage, everyone will feel like “giving up” on exercise or anything worthwhile, “there’s no point in carrying on”, and many do, but what makes higher performers different from the pack is that they are prepared to grind no matter what’s going on around them, and keep on showing up.

It’s the capacity for hard work, work through setbacks, that makes a difference in anything you really want to achieve. 

Josh Sheehan, we all remember him at the gym when we was with Swansea City in the premier league, then he had an awful knee injury, Swansea released him and Newport picked him up.

He recently played for Wales in football years later, I asked him how he did it and how he stayed positive. He said “I always believed in my ability and I kept working hard no matter what”. That’s grit right there, it pays off big but only when you are prepared to work hard relentlessly even when big doubt is hovering all around you.

A great chef becomes that way through endless experimentation, and a relentless practice to master his/her craft over many years. The reward is usually never having to advertise, because the food and the love and care he/she puts into it speaks for itself.

Seemingly “hopeless” cases at the gym like Gail Rees from Kidwelly, became a champion with us even after major back surgery, being on her own raising 3 young kids, training straight after nights. Gail hit rock bottom, and when you hit rock bottom the only way is UP.

Her perseverance and passion, her deep reasons to get out of her back pain, of being sick and tired of not feeling good about herself became overwhelming, and she found if she kept on showing up to the gym, even if she had some lows along the way, she would overcome ALL of it once she proved to HERSELF that her capacity for hard work, plus some intelligent training would be truly transformational IF she stuck with it which she has done, and now she is the true inspiration to everyone.

These examples show other people’s options REALLY don’t matter at all.

It’s about YOU, your ability to knuckle down, constantly get better through relentless practice, keep on going even when everyone else may be doubting you, and become the latest success story even if it took you years and years, it’s often the ONLY way.